Charles Roy Cater

Charles Roy Cater, age 91, of La Grande, died Sunday, June 12, 2005 at a local care facility. At his request there will be no public services. Burial was held at the Island City Cemetery. Those who wish may make contributions in memory of Mr. Cater to the National Wildlife Foundation in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th Street, La Grande, Oregon 97850.

Mr. Cater was born on June 21, 1913, the son of Charles R. and Lona (Christensen) Cater in Oakland, Oregon. He served with the United States Army and after graduating from Willamette University Law School he moved to La Grande and worked with Carl Helm for a time before opening his own practice, which he operated until retiring in 1979. He considered himself a "country lawyer" and was one of the few attorneys who was admitted to try cases before the United States Supreme Court. Many in the legal community will remember that he was responsible for the City of La Grande Traffic Laws being declared unconstitutional, resulting in a suspension of the city traffic ordinances for a few days.

Mr. Cater was one of the deadliest shots in the nation. He competed actively from 1948 until 1953 and won the National Rifle Association's North Pacific Regional Championships in 1951, 1952 and 1953 in small bore rifle competition. He also competed in rifle matches against the top national competitors in San Francisco, Jacksonville, Florida and Camp Perry, Ohio, where he won third the first two times and fifth the last time. He earned bushels of medals and won a boat, motor and trailer and decided to stop competing in 1953. He shot once in 1954 and won every match in every aggregate and decided it was really time to quit.

Mr. Cater was a member of the NRA, the Rifle Club, the Shotgun Club and the La Grande Country Club. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and never lost an argument.

He married to Melba Jongwaard and the marriage later ended in divorce. In June of 1954 he married Donna Sneary in La Grande. She preceded him in death in October of 2003 .

Survivors include his daughter, Lona Slivkoff of Grand Ronde, Oregon; step-children, Pat Bagley of Elk Ridge, Utah and David Everett of King City; various grandchildren and great grandchildren and other relatives and friends. Sons, John Cater and Baine Cater and brother, Baine Cater preceded him in death.